The next morning, Chiaki went to the office pantry to get some water, her mind still reeling from the events of the previous night. As she filled her glass, she unexpectedly ran into Elena, who was leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in hand. Elena's sharp eyes narrowed as she noticed Chiaki, and a sly smile crept onto her lips. "I saw you at the party last night," she said, her tone laced with curiosity and a hint of accusation. "Who invited you? The event was only for higher management staff. You're just an executive."
Chiaki remained calm, her expression neutral as she met Elena's gaze. "Actually, I was helping a friend's company with the event setup," she explained smoothly. "They were short on staff, so I volunteered." Elena smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement. "That explains why I saw you carrying trays of food. Looks like you're trying to climb the social ladder by getting close to wealthy people," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Chiaki ignored the remark, her jaw tightening slightly as she walked back to her desk, determined not to let Elena's words get to her.
As she sat down, she noticed several missed calls from Sohei on her phone. Hana, her desk neighbor, glanced over and pointed at the screen. "You have a lot of missed calls," she said, her tone curious. "Sorry, did it disturb you?" Chiaki apologized, her voice tinged with embarrassment.
Hana shook her head, her curiosity piqued. "Who was calling you?" she asked, leaning in slightly. Chiaki hesitated for a moment before replying, "A colleague from R&D department. I usually reach out to them for product marketing details," she said casually, hoping to deflect further questions. Hana's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow! I didn't know you had network in R&D," she said, clearly impressed.
Chiaki smiled faintly, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "One day, I should introduce you. You might find him interesting," she teased, her tone light but cryptic. Hana blinked, confused. "Who?" she asked, her curiosity growing. "You'll find out soon enough," Chiaki replied with a knowing smile before turning her attention back to her phone. She quickly returned Sohei's call, her heart racing as she waited for him to pick up.
"Chiaki! Where have you been? I was trying to reach you!" Sohei answered immediately, his voice urgent. "I was just getting some water. What's wrong? You sound rushed," Chiaki said, her tone calm but laced with concern. "My mom is at the office right now. She wants to see you," Sohei explained, his words sending a jolt of panic through Chiaki.
"What? Please, stop her!" she exclaimed, her voice rising slightly. "It's too late. She's already on her way to your floor," Sohei said, his tone apologetic but firm. Chiaki quickly hung up and stood up in a panic, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how to avoid the impending encounter. Just as she was about to make her escape, she ran straight into Mrs. Katagiri at the lift area.
"Chiaki! I was just looking for you!" Mrs. Katagiri said cheerfully, her face lighting up with a warm smile. "I brought you some cake as a thank-you for helping last night." Chiaki forced a polite smile, her heart still pounding. "Mrs. Katagiri, you really didn't have to!" she said, taking the cake with trembling hands. "I wanted to," Mrs. Katagiri replied, her tone gentle but insistent.
"By the way, how's work? I still can't believe how much you've grown," she added fondly, her eyes filled with pride. "It's been great," Chiaki replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "Good! Now, let's go visit Hayato. I want to surprise him," Mrs. Katagiri said, pressing the elevator button before Chiaki could protest.
"Actually, I have some work to finish…" Chiaki started to say, but Mrs. Katagiri cut her off. "It'll only take ten minutes," she insisted, her tone leaving no room for argument. Unable to refuse, Chiaki followed her into the elevator, her stomach churning with anxiety.
For the first time, she stepped onto the senior management floor, where Hayato's office was located. The atmosphere was noticeably different—quieter, more formal, with an air of authority that made her feel out of place. "Mrs. Katagiri, what a surprise!" the secretary, Takuya, greeted them as they approached. His eyes briefly flickered toward Chiaki, as if trying to figure out who she was.
"I just wanted to see Hayato for a bit. I won't take long," Mrs. Katagiri said, her tone cheerful but firm. "Mr. Katagiri just finished a meeting. I believe he's free now," Takuya said, leading them inside.
"Hayato!" Mrs. Katagiri called out happily as they entered the office. Hayato looked up from his desk, his expression shifting from surprise to something darker as he noticed Chiaki standing behind his mother.
"Mom?" he said, his voice calm but laced with tension. "I ran into Chiaki earlier, so I brought her with me," Mrs. Katagiri explained, her tone light and casual.
"Mrs. Katagiri brought some cake for us," Chiaki added quickly, holding up the box as if it could somehow diffuse the awkwardness.
"I don't eat sweet stuff now," Hayato said coldly, his tone cutting through the air like a knife. Chiaki flinched at his indifferent tone, her heart sinking.
"Then, I'll be heading back to work now. Thank you, Mrs. Katagiri," she said quickly, turning to leave. But before she could step out, Mrs. Katagiri placed a gentle but firm hand on her arm, stopping her.
"Hayato," she said, turning to her son with a disappointed look. "Why are you being so cold to Chiaki? You weren't like this before." Hayato exhaled sharply, clearly displeased with the conversation. "Mom, we haven't spoken in ten years," he said, his voice impassive.
"That doesn't mean you can't start over," Mrs. Katagiri insisted, her tone firm but kind. "She was always someone important to you. What happened between you two?" Chiaki's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding as she waited for his response.
Hayato's jaw tensed slightly, and he looked away, his expression unreadable. "It's in the past," he said simply, his voice devoid of emotion. Mrs. Katagiri studied him carefully, her gaze piercing.
"Hayato, I know you better than anyone. If it were really in the past, you wouldn't be acting like this now." Hayato didn't reply, his fingers curling slightly against the desk as he kept his face neutral.
Chiaki shifted uncomfortably, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Mrs. Katagiri, it's okay," she said softly, forcing a polite smile. "Really." Mrs. Katagiri sighed but finally relented.
"Fine. I won't push you. But one day, I hope you'll stop being so stubborn." Hayato remained silent as Chiaki excused herself and left the office, her heart heavy with emotions she couldn't quite name.
Once Chiaki returned to her desk, she placed the cake on Hana's table, her hands trembling slightly. "Hana, this is for you," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
"Wow! This is from that famous bakery! Where did you get it?" Hana asked excitedly, her eyes lighting up with delight. "Oh, the R&D department got some from a client and asked me to grab a box before they were all gone," Chiaki lied, her tone casual.
"You're so lucky! Thanks!" Hana beamed, clearly thrilled by the unexpected treat. As Chiaki sat down, she forced herself to act like nothing had happened, her face a mask of calm composure. But inside, she couldn't shake the lingering sadness, the weight of Hayato's indifference pressing heavily on her heart. The encounter had left her feeling more alone than ever, a stark reminder of the distance that had grown between them—a distance that seemed impossible to bridge.
*****
During lunch, Chiaki accompanied Hana to the employee cafeteria, the two of them weaving through the bustling crowd of colleagues. Chiaki joined Hana for meals in the cafeteria. Hana's cheerful chatter filled the air as they made their way to an empty table. As Chiaki scanned the cafeteria, her eyes briefly caught the attention of a few male colleagues, who smiled at her warmly. Out of politeness, she returned their smiles before turning away—only to freeze at the sight of Sohei and Hayato sitting together at a nearby table. Her heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. She hadn't expected Hayato to be eating here, of all places. Sohei, ever observant, caught sight of her and smirked teasingly, his eyes glinting with mischief. Chiaki frowned but chose to ignore him, focusing on her meal and trying to steady her racing heart.
"What's so funny?" Hayato asked, noticing his brother's amused expression as he glanced up from his food. Sohei leaned back in his chair, his smirk widening. "I'm laughing at Chiaki," he replied, his tone light but teasing. "She just realized that half the guys in the cafeteria are looking at her, and now she's so flustered that all she can do is awkwardly smile back at them."
Hayato's eyes flicked toward Chiaki, his gaze sharp and assessing. Sure enough, several men were sneaking glances at her, their expressions ranging from admiration to curiosity. "Is she that well-liked in the company?" Hayato asked, his tone neutral but carrying a hint of something deeper.
Sohei chuckled, his expression turning playful. "Of course. She's been popular since college. Tons of guys have confessed to her, but she turned them all down. She's never dated anyone all these years. And look at her now—at the perfect age for marriage. Which man wouldn't want her?" he said casually, his words dripping with amusement.
Hayato's jaw tightened, his voice carrying a sharp edge as he asked, "Including you?" Sohei scoffed, rolling his eyes. "That joke isn't funny. She's like a big sister to me. And believe me, I've already had my hands full looking out for her while you were gone."
Then his expression turned serious, his tone lowering as he added, "But let me give you one last warning, brother. If you don't act soon, someone else will." Hayato's eyes narrowed, his voice cold and dismissive. "Don't tell me what to do. It's none of your business." Sohei's gaze hardened, his patience wearing thin. "You have no idea what Chiaki has been through all these years," he said, his tone laced with frustration.
Hayato's brows furrowed, his curiosity piqued despite himself. "What aren't you telling me?" he asked, his voice low and urgent. Sohei hesitated, his expression conflicted, before exhaling heavily. "Chiaki, she—" he began, but before he could finish, a voice interrupted them.
"Hayato! I've been looking for you." Both men turned to see Karina approaching their table, her presence commanding attention as always. She was dressed impeccably, her long hair flowing over her shoulders, and her sharp eyes locked onto Hayato with a mix of amusement and challenge.
Hayato's jaw tightened, his expression darkening as he stood up. "Karina, what are you doing here?" he asked, his tone clipped and wary. Karina smirked, her voice light but her eyes sharp.
"Why? Am I not welcome?" she teased, her tone dripping with mock innocence. Sohei raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "How did you even get in?" he asked, his tone skeptical. Karina's smile widened, her confidence unwavering. "I requested a visitor pass from Mr. Katagiri. He approved it, of course," she said proudly, her tone implying that she had no trouble getting what she wanted.
Hayato sighed, his frustration evident as he ran a hand through his hair. "Let's talk in my office," he said, his voice firm but laced with irritation.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, Karina following close behind, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. Sohei watched them go, his expression thoughtful but tinged with concern. He glanced back at Chiaki, who was still sitting at her table, her head bowed as she focused on her meal, oblivious to the tension that had just unfolded. Sohei sighed, his mind racing with unspoken thoughts, before turning back to his own food, the weight of the moment lingering in the air.
Once inside his office, Hayato closed the door behind him and folded his arms, his expression stern as he faced Karina. The room, usually a place of calm and control, now felt charged with tension.
"What do you want, Karina?" he asked, his voice low and clipped, his patience already wearing thin. Karina, unfazed by his cold demeanor, leaned casually against the edge of his desk, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp and calculating.
"I missed you, Hayato," she said, her tone sweet but laced with a hint of mischief as she pouted slightly. "Ever since we came back to Japan, you've been so distant. I barely had a chance to talk to you at the party last night."
Hayato's jaw tightened, his frustration evident as he took a step back, putting more distance between them. "Karina, I already told you—we're not in a relationship. I was only your legal guardian in America. Now that we're back, our connection is over. That was the agreement." His words were firm, leaving no room for interpretation, but Karina only smiled, her confidence unshaken.
"That doesn't stop me from wanting to see you," she replied, her voice smooth and teasing as she took a step closer, her gaze locking onto his. "You're exactly the kind of man my parents would want me to marry."
Hayato's eyes narrowed, his tone turning icy. "Don't even think about it," he said. Karina's smile widened, her expression one of amusement as she tilted her head slightly. "Don't be so quick to dismiss me," she said, her tone light but carrying an underlying threat. "Don't you think our fathers would want this alliance? A marriage between the Katagiri and Matsuda families would strengthen both companies."
The mention of their families' business interests made Hayato's hands clench into fists at his sides, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "I would never agree to that," he snapped, his voice sharp and final. Karina's lips curled into a knowing smile, her eyes glinting with a mix of challenge and triumph. "Then your father's company might lose its largest business partner," she said, her tone casual but her words carrying a weight that made Hayato's chest tighten. The implication was clear, and it only deepened his frustration.
"Face it, Hayato," Karina continued, her voice light but firm as she took a step closer, her presence overwhelming. "We're destined to be together. I'll be back to see you soon." With that, she turned and walked toward the door, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. She paused for a moment, glancing back at him with a sly smile before stepping out, leaving Hayato standing alone in the middle of his office, his fists still clenched and his mind racing.
Her words hung in the air, a clear reminder of the pressure and expectations tied to his role. Hayato let out a sharp breath and ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself, but the frustration wouldn't go away.
Karina's visit had only added to the storm of emotions he'd been trying to push down. As he stared at the closed door, it felt like everything was closing in—his duties, his unresolved feelings for Chiaki, and now Karina's constant presence.